Proposal on priority procedure for electricity network connections circulated for review

The demand for electricity network connections has increased significantly as a result of electrification, growing renewable energy generation, new types of electricity consumption and increased electricity storage capacity. Occasionally, electricity networks have become congested despite their ongoing development. The Electricity Market Act would be amended to include provisions on a priority procedure that the network operator would be required to apply when processing requests by customers to connect electricity consumption sites and electricity storages to the network. The connection requests would be placed in four priority groups based on the capacity and purpose of the connection. The priority procedure would not apply to electricity production. The procedure would encourage customers to locate sites of high electricity consumption and electricity storages in less congested areas. In congested areas, customers with high electricity consumption sites could improve the position of their connection request by committing to provide flexible generation capacity independent of weather conditions. They could also cover part of their electricity consumption with new production in...